About Admin

This author has not yet filled in any details.
So far Admin has created 315 entries.

Disabled Man in Tennessee Loses Daughter – Finds Out She was Adopted to Strangers via Facebook

Matthew Marble is a disabled dad who loves his daughter very much, and claims he has never done anything to harm her. When the state of Tennessee terminated his right to parent his child, he was shattered. Requests by family members to care for her were denied by the Department of Children's Services (DCS). Recently, he learned the devastating news--on Facebook--that his little girl has been adopted out. The news came right before Hailey's 5th birthday. Several family members saw the public posts with her adoption photos. Matthew's mother, Kim Trackwell wrote: "To find out over Facebook that his daughter was adopted ... the tears just won't stop. I love you, Hailey!"

Common Childbirth Practice Could Lead to Later False Diagnosis of Shaken Baby Syndrome

Pitocin is one of the most commonly used drugs in childbirth, given to the majority of birthing women to either induce or augment (speed up) labor. Cytotec is also used by many doctors to induce labor. As common as they are, they are not without significant risks to both mother and baby. There are known side effects that are rarely, if ever, told to parents. Unfortunately, some of these risks also appear on the list of symptoms of Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS), or, as it is sometimes called, Abusive Head Trauma (AHT). Hundreds of parents each year are accused of SBS. The National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome estimates that there are 1,300 cases of SBS per year in the U.S. Many have their children seized by Child Protective Services. Some are imprisoned, and some have even been put to death. How many accused parents are aware that simply having labor induced or augmented could cause Shaken Baby symptoms in their baby? Perhaps more importantly, how many doctors, social workers, attorneys, and judges are aware of this? Or are they aware, but choose not to disclose this information?

Judge Orders Children Home in Kansas Case with Navy Dad Who used Medical Cannabis

Raymond and Amelia Schwab didn't know what to expect when they went into a Kansas courtroom on Tuesday, August 15, 2017. The Colorado couple has been fighting to get their children back since the Department for Children and Families (DCF) seized custody of them in April 2015. During that time, they have been told that their parental rights would be terminated, that their children would be returned home, and everything in between. It has been an emotional roller coaster, and 5 of their 6 children have been in foster care for more than 2 years. (Their oldest son was 19 when his younger siblings were taken and therefore avoided foster care.) Raymond Schwab, an honorably discharged Navy veteran, and his wife Amelia took to Facebook Live with an update for thousands of their followers, many of whom have been praying for their children to be returned to the family. The update was a mixture of good news and bad news - the children are supposed to be returned home, just not immediately. They were told that the children should be home by Christmas.

7 Florida Children Taken from Parents Due to Poverty and Disability Come Home After 3 Years

More than three years ago, a Filipino-American father living in Florida made a promise to his children: "I will never stop fighting for you to come home." Though there were times that Freddie Verzosa and his wife Tracey thought that it would never happen, all of the "7 Angels" have been reunited with their parents. The family is rejoicing and extremely thankful that, after all this time, they can finally all be together again. The six older children were taken from their home by Florida Children and Families (DCF) on July 9, 2014, based on the family's financial situation and allegations that Tracey, who has a mild intellectual disability, wasn't capable of taking care of her children while her husband worked. When their youngest baby Taylor was born, DCF showed up at the hospital to seize the 2 day old breastfeeding newborn from her mother's breast, simply because they already had an open case on the family. Their heartbreaking story captured international attention. The family's Facebook page quickly grew to almost 8,000 followers. Their story struck a chord with people all over the world who do not believe that the government should be able to tear a loving family apart because of poverty or a disability. There were never any allegations that the Verzosa parents ever harmed their children. Some within DCS told them that "love wasn't enough" for them to parent their own children.

School Teachers and Other School Officials Being Trained on How to Report Your Children to CPS

As "Back to School" time approaches, parents everywhere are preparing - shopping for school supplies and clothes, adjusting schedules, and making arrangements for after-school care. The public needs to be aware that, while parents get ready to send children back to public school, teachers and staff in the schools are undergoing mandatory training right now that will result in some children being taken from their families, perhaps permanently. Several sources from within the system have told us that the first 6 weeks of school are the time of year when CPS seizes more children than any other time of the year. According to the 2015 Child Maltreatment Report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the highest percentage of reports of child abuse and neglect comes from educational personnel. In 2015, teachers and other school staff made 18.4% of the total reports to CPS, up from 17.7% in 2014. Under the guise of "protecting children," Child Protective Services is training school personnel all over the country about reporting parents for all sorts of things that may be considered "signs of abuse." These "signs" include: not wearing a jacket when it is cold out, not having school supplies or lunch money, having too many tardies, or being withdrawn or depressed at school. Because they are "mandatory reporters," teachers and staff are being told that they can lose their jobs, be sued, or go to jail for not reporting things that could happen in any normal, non-abusive household.

Former Amish Mother who Lost her Children to CPS Finds Her Own Father for First Time

Parents whose children are taken from them often fear that their children will forget them, especially if the children are very young when Child Protective Services steps in. However, there is a deep need inside human beings to know our biological parents, even if we don't remember anything about them. There is something inside that longs to know where we came from and wants to connect with the truth. Elizabeth Byler is a mother of medically kidnapped children who has prayed that her children will not forget her. She also understands this longing from the perspective of the child, because she was raised in the Amish community by people who were not her parents. Since Elizabeth’s story broke on Health Impact News, there have been some interesting developments with regards to finding her biological father. After a lifetime of not knowing anything about him, she believes that she has finally found her real father, and she couldn't be happier about it. They still need a DNA test for confirmation, but all signs indicate that he is the daddy she has been searching for all of her life. The reality is that, no matter what Child Protective Services or any other organization or person does, there is a bond between parent and child that no piece of paper or judge's decree can completely sever. Elizabeth's journey of finding her father clearly demonstrates that fact. This is a perspective that we do not often get to share.

Tennessee Sister of Baby Steffen Traumatized Seeing Dad Arrested During Chuck E. Cheese Visit

Steffen Rivenburg, Sr., looked forward to his visit with his daughter Annalise. It was the first visit since Baby Steffen's funeral more than 3 weeks ago. This would truly be a special visit - at Chuck E. Cheese, where Annalise should have been able to enjoy time playing with her Daddy. Instead, she watched him be escorted out of the restaurant by police. Her grandmother, Lisa Rivenburg, said that she felt like it was a set-up. There was no way that her son was going to miss his scheduled visit with Annalise. "I cannot believe that they used my granddaughter as BAIT to get him here to arrest him!" There was no warrant for his arrest. They asked, and were told by police that they didn't have to show one. Lisa told Health Impact News that her son was not read his Miranda rights. She later learned that the charge was "contempt," presumably over the demand, without a court order, for a hair follicle drug test. The entire family is very concerned about Annalise, a little girl who was taken from her family, placed in a home with strangers, and watched her baby brother get sick, die, and be buried. She had surely looked forward to visiting her parents and playing with them at Chuck E. Cheese. It was a 2 hour drive from her foster house to meet them. Now, the place that is supposed to be associated with fun and being a kid will forever be associated with the traumatic memory of seeing her daddy arrested.

Arizona Child Removed from Loving Family and Placed into Foster Care Where She was Repeatedly Raped – then 80% of Body Burned

Earlier this year (June 2017) we reported on one of the most horrific examples of child abuse of a child who was taken into state custody by a “Child Protection” social service agency, and put into the foster care system, that we have ever reported. We reported how one Arizona child was repeatedly raped as part of a pornographic pedophile ring in foster care, and then placed into a different foster home where 80% of her body was burned with scalding water. We were only able to report on this because a court-appointed guardian of the child sued the Arizona Department of Child Safety, making the alleged crimes public knowledge. However, what was not published by the general media who reported on this story was the birth mother's perspective, and why the child was taken away from her family in the first place. Health Impact News has interviewed the mother and investigated her story, and we now bring it to the public. The question arises: What horrors did the real parents do that could justify CPS putting a child into such heinous situations? Our investigation reveals the shocking truth: nothing. This story is yet another example of just how corrupt child "protective" services have become, especially in Arizona.

Tennessee Parents of Baby Steffen Jailed While Appearing in Court and Questioning Drug Test

Patricia Tornberg and Steffen Rivenburg, Sr., thought they were going to court this morning, July 17, 2017, to try to bring Baby Steffen's big sister Annalise home to be with family members and out of foster care. Instead, the judge had them arrested and thrown into jail. Family members and supporters alike are shocked at the turn of events, and see this as another way for the court and DCS to grasp at any way to justify their actions and deflect attention away from their role in Baby Steffen's death. Last month (June 2017) Baby Steffen was taken off of life support against the wishes of his family, and before the family could find a second doctor's opinion regarding his condition. Baby Steffen was removed from his parents while still healthy, and yet the parents had no say over his medical care or removal from life support. Tennessee DCS also removed Baby Steffen's sister, Annalise, from the parents. Advocate Serra Frank told Health Impact News: "This judge is scrambling to get rid of this mess, and he's just making it worse." The hearing was supposed to be about hearing motions for Annalise to be placed with family members. Grandmother Lisa Rivenburg and two aunts, each willing and able to care for Annalise, were present at the hearing, but the motions were never heard. Judge Wayne Shelton reportedly stated that he did not intend to hear their motions. Instead, the focus turned to a motion filed on July 1 without the family's knowledge by Margaret Parker, attorney for DCS, to compel the parents to submit to drug testing.

Young Girl with Rare Trisomy 9 Condition Medically Kidnapped in Georgia – Life in Danger

If you had a child born to you that had a medical condition that only one out of every 100 million children have, and of which only 100 children worldwide have been diagnosed with this condition, should the medical system and the government have the right to take your child away from you so that they could research this condition for the "greater good?" If this sounds like something that might have only happened in tyrannical states like the former Nazi Germany, you are wrong. Not only does this happen in the United States today, it is actually legal. See our previous report: "Medical Kidnapping in the U.S. – Kidnapping Children for Drug Trials" The latest story we bring to you involves a mother from Florida and her daughter who was born and diagnosed with Trisomy 9, an extremely rare chromosomal abnormality. The mother, Jasmin Mack, moved with her daughter Nhyariah to Georgia to be closer to family members. Nhyariah was doing well for several years prior to that time while living with her mother in Florida. When Nhyariah was 3 1/2 years old, Jasmin Mack says that a genetic counselor from the University of Florida hospital in Gainsville offered her money to enter her daughter into medical research studies, but she refused. After moving to Georgia, the first doctor they saw recognized how rare Nhyariah's condition was and allegedly commented: "Oh! I have some friends next door that would LOVE to see you!" This was Henrietta Egleston Hospital for Children in Atlanta, which is the pediatric teaching hospital affiliate for the Emory University School of Medicine, located on the campus of Emory University. Even though Nhyariah was not sick, they immediately admitted her to the hospital, and used the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) to take over custody of Nhyariah. Jasmin was kicked out of the hospital. Today, Nhyariah's condition has deteriorated greatly while in state care due to undergoing several surgeries, and her mother Jasmin just wants to take her back to Florida, as she fears that the medical professionals in Georgia will soon kill her daughter. "I feel like if she can get out of this hospital, she can have a chance. She's a rare child. She's made it this 10 years."

Tennessee Family Buries Baby Steffen as Social Workers Stop Photos – Sister Still in Foster Care

Baby Steffen was buried on Friday, July 7, almost a month after his death when DCS, Vanderbilt hospital, and a judge decided to overrule his parents' rights to make decisions for their baby. The Tennessee family was thankful that Steffen's big sister was allowed to leave the foster home to attend her brother's funeral. Even so, social workers kept a tight reign on Annalise, and threatened to take her away if the family continued to take photos. The children's grandmother Lisa Rivenburg said it was their last time together as a family with Baby Steffen, and she felt that the social workers' threats were a cruel addition to an already difficult day. Their fight continues to try to bring Annalise home and to find answers to what happened to Baby Steffen in DCS custody.

Tennessee Family Wants Daughter and Sister of Deceased Baby Steffen to Come Home

Baby Steffen's tiny body will be laid to rest on Friday, July 7, in Clarksville, Tennessee. His battle to live has ended, but his family's battle for his big sister Annalise continues. The Rivenburgs still don't have the answers that they seek as to what happened at Vanderbilt once Baby Steffen was taken into Department of Children's Services (DCS) custody. They are waiting for the results of a private autopsy, funded by donations from people who believe that the family deserves unbiased answers. Those results could take up to 3 months. The fate of Annalise may be decided in less than 3 weeks. DCS has requested a hearing to terminate the parental rights of Steffen and Patricia. That hearing is scheduled for July 24.

Tennessee Dad Who Lost Children due to Medical Cannabis that Saved his Life Continues to Fight for Children’s Return Home

Michael Brooks is a Tennessee dad whose children were taken from him by Child Protective Services after he used medical cannabis to treat his Hepatitis C. After conventional medical treatments failed to cure his terminal Hepatitis C, he turned to medical cannabis and soon his Hepatitis C was in remission. But unfortunately, Tennessee DCS used his medical cannabis treatment as a reason to take away his children. His health deteriorated rapidly when he stopped using the treatment in the attempt to comply with requirements by Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS) in order to get his children back. He was set to have his rights terminated last month, but his case was continued. Michael took to Facebook Live on June 26, 2017, to record a video for his followers, and it looks like things may be turning around for the Brooks family. His health has begun to improve and there is again hope of his getting visitation back. On Facebook Live, Michael said that he had been taking CBD oil, or cannabidiol oil and Moringa oil for the past two weeks. CBD oil is legal in all 50 states, as it contains almost no THC, the chemical that gets one "high." His body has responded so well that he has been able to throw away his other 20 medications. In the Facebook Live video, Michael Brooks said that he expects to go to court on July 19, and he is hopeful about getting visitation with his children back.

Infant Accidentally Vaccinated with Gardasil – Mother Blamed for Vaccine Injuries and Baby Medically Kidnapped

Doctors call it a "medication administration error." During a routine check-up at her pediatrician's office, 4-month old Aniya was accidentally given the Gardasil 9 vaccine, and she hasn't been the same since. Anita Vasquez of Victoria, Texas, herself a nurse, says that "doctors are in denial" that any of the medical issues that began after her daughter received the shot are related to the vaccine. Aniya was a happy and healthy breastfed baby before her 4-month doctor visit. Her only illness was an ear infection which had been cleared up with antibiotics shortly before that fateful day of December 29, 2016. Since then, she has suffered numerous health issues and several hospitalizations. Rather than acknowledge the possibility that the Gardasil 9 vaccine contributed to the decline in Aniya's health, doctors and Child Protective Services have reportedly blamed the mother. Her desperate search for answers has led instead to her being accused of Munchausen by Proxy, or "medical child abuse," and her baby has been seized by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS). Anita told Health Impact News that her concerns about the vaccine have been dismissed and ignored by virtually everyone involved in her daughter's care. DFPS refers to her "unfounded concerns" about the Gardasil 9 vaccine. She believes that they are trying to cover up the dangers of the vaccine. This is any mother's worst nightmare, and no one deserves this.

Medically Kidnapped Toddlers of Tennessee Parents Returned After 2 Years

It was the best news ever for Chris and Keshia Turner of East Tennessee. After two and a half years battling Child Protective Services, their children were coming home. On Friday, June 24, 2017, Keshia posted the happy news on Facebook that they were on their way to pick up their children. When Health Impact News first spoke with the Turners more than two years ago, their oldest son Brayden had been taken from them by the Tennessee Department of Children's Services (DCS) after doctors discovered that her son had multiple fractures in various stages of healing. Keshia was accused of Shaken Baby Syndrome and abuse. Keshia told us that she believed that her son Brayden was coming home eventually. Her faith in God was what kept her going, she said, and she trusted that God would one day bring good out of all that they were going through. Then, she gave birth to Carson in September 2015. Because DCS had an ongoing case against Keshia, her 4 day old baby was seized by DCS and placed with his brother. Through it all, the Turners fought hard to get their children back. When we first spoke with the couple more than 2 years ago, they knew that there had to be some kind of medical explanation for Braydon's broken bones and symptoms. However, once a doctor accused the parents of abuse, they said that the doctors stopped looking for answers. But Keshia did not stop looking. She knew that there had to be answers that the doctors had missed.

Doctor Destroys Ohio Family with Shaken Baby Syndrome Accusation

Virginia Mount was a stay-at-home mom to two beautiful boys. She lived a normal and happy life with her boyfriend and two sons, Jace, 15 months old, and Colten, three years old. In their recreation time they enjoyed fishing, sailing, picnicking, and simply relaxing and playing together. On November 11, 2015, Jace stood up on top of the sofa. As he came tumbling down onto the floor, his arm broke and the whole world he lived in with his family, shattered to pieces. After the fall, as she waited in the Nationwide Children’s Hospital waiting room in Columbus, Ohio, Virginia felt as if time had frozen. Initially, she didn’t think the fall was very serious. After all, it was just a tumble. But when he was transferred from their local hospital to this one, Virginia felt a knot form in her stomach. At that point, though, her greatest fear was merely that Jace would have to endure the physical pain of an injury. She had no idea that her entire family was about to be destroyed, that both her sons would suffer the devastating trauma of losing their families, possibly forever, and that she would be incarcerated for a crime she did not commit.

Judge Who Ordered Baby Steffen to be Removed from Life Support Orders Sister be Placed for Adoption

The Rivenburg family was back in court on Monday morning, June 19. This time, it was to fight for Annalise, the big sister of Baby Steffen, the baby who was taken off of life support on June 8. The family, including aunts, uncles, and cousins, were hopeful that the court would send little Annalise back home to be with her family, but that did not happen. Instead, they learned that the Department of Children's Services (DCS) now plans to terminate her parents' parental rights and place her for adoption, presumably with the foster family with whom she and Baby Steffen were placed 4 months ago, just before the baby got sick. They are devastated. Patricia's heart-wrenching sobs could be heard in the background as a family member told the news to Health Impact News. The thought of losing Annalise seems an unbearably cruel blow to the family that is still reeling from what they call Baby Steffen's "potentially preventable" death.

Premature Baby Medically Kidnapped from Loving Parents in Colorado

"We just want to raise our daughter. Is that too much to ask?" Juanita and TJ Muhl are a Colorado couple who are grieving over Yechezkela, their infant daughter nicknamed Yael, who was taken from them while still in the hospital by the State of Colorado. The parents are well-educated, and each is employed. Yechezkela was born prematurely with many medical conditions. Her parents are Messianic Jews and at times requested kosher equivalents of medications, which are available. As loving parents, they wanted to be involved in the medical decisions regarding their daughter. On March 5, the Colorado Department of Human Services was granted an emergency custody order to seize Yael. The parents were removed from Yael’s hospital. On that same day, the hospital was granted a court order to give Yael medicines for acid reflux--- which were allegedly not even necessary according to the hospital’s own records. By May 19, the Muhls discovered that the foster family could stay at the hospital with Yael, but her natural parents were no longer allowed to stay by her side.

Family Seeks Answers on Baby’s Death – Threatened Arrest for Trying to Record Last Moments of Life

The Rivenburgs were not ready to say goodbye to Baby Steffen. On the morning of his death, Steffen's parents and grandparents were in court pleading for his life, but their cries were drowned out by the voices of others who literally argued for his death. The events surrounding Baby Steffen's death on Thursday afternoon, June 8, are disturbing, and the family wants answers. The prayer of thousands of people around the world was that Baby Steffen's heart would beat and that he would breathe when doctors at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt removed him from the ECMO machine. According to Lisa Rivenburg, that is exactly what happened. "His heart was beating!" But she says that the doctors didn't give him the option of surviving. A doctor told the family that his heart wouldn't beat for long, so they wanted to give him painkillers "to relax him." Just a short time before he was removed from life support, Baby Steffen was kicking his feet and moving his arms in response to his family. While his parents still pleaded for his life and for time with their baby, Lisa tried to record her grandson's final moments. She reports that a Vanderbilt police officer told her to stop recording: "I'm getting ready to arrest you." She said that he started to reach for something. She didn't know whether he was reaching for his handcuffs or gun or something else, but she stopped recording. Grandma did not get her phone back until she was seated in her car. She and the baby's parents were escorted under armed guard out of the hospital. "We were treated like criminals!"

Nevada Judge Rules Against Seizure of Shoars Baby – Baby Returned Home to Parents

Tabitha and Jeff Shoars are celebrating that their youngest child, 10 month old Nytallieya, is back home after being seized by Nevada Child Protective Services just after noon on Monday, June 5, 2017. The baby was taken from their Las Vegas home after Arizona Department of Child Safety social workers sent a report to Nevada CPS alleging that the Shoars left the child with an "unsafe caregiver." The Shoars disputed that claim, saying that the caregiver to whom Arizona DCS refers is someone that they feel quite confident about - a retired police officer and his wife. The judge ruled that there "was no impending danger to remove the child." He noted that Nevada CPS has been in the Shoars' home on previous occasions, and found no cause to remove the child, who was born in Nevada. He stated: "There is not a factual statement within the report to warrant removal of the child."